Lawks, that was a heavy night

Yesterday’s dinner party started at half six and went on until four in the morning, cripes! No wonder I felt a tad the worse for wear this morning.

Champagne Grande Reserve, Gosset

Quite mature and mushroomy on the nose. The palate has good density, nice acidity and very good length. A year in our warm flat had hastened its development, but it was a perfectly tasty bottle of NV fizz.

Riesling Spätlese Serriger Schloss Saarstein 2005, Schloss Saarstein

Far too dull, as has been reported before.

Sancerre “Les Romains” 2004, Domaine Vacheron

The nose is incredibly mineral with surprisingly little Sauvignon Blanc character (good). The nose is really complex with a very good concentration of aromas. The palate is also not terribly Sauvignon Blanc-y, but there is good acidity, a huge stoniness and plenty of concentration. Quite a surprising Sancerre, but it was certainly extremely good.

Meursault Premier Cru les Perrières 2002, Domaine Vincent Dancer

One of our dinner guests said, “This smells and tastes of wood.” It is certainly distractingly oaky. It is also really fat: a big, slightly ungainly mouthful. Far too much like sucking lard-covered plank, really. There is plenty of fruit there, but not really the elegance and refinement one would hope for from this vineyard. After the fireworks of the [link2post id=”1267″]Dancer Chassagne Premier Cru[/link2post] we had a few weeks back this is a bit of a disappointment.

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2002, Domaine Arlaud

Now this has a wonderful, perfumed nose of complex ripe fruit and earth. It smells supremely elegant and refined. The palate has real elegance too, this is quite delicious. I love the fruit, the minerality and the beautiful long finish. A glorious life ahead of it. Top bunny!

Cornas Domaine St. Pierre 1995, Jaboulet

Mmmm… lovely mature fruit on the nose, cherries and plums. It is very earthy and complex and smells completely mature, but in no way past it. The palate has real refinement for a Cornas, not rough in the slightest. The fruit is very charming and is perfectly framed by a tannic structure that lacks any hint of aggression. This is a lovely, but atypical, Cornas; time to start enjoying.

Bonnezeaux “Grains Nobles” 1997, Domaine du Petit Val

Really rather botrytic nose, candied orange peel and apricots. The texture is very silky, there is good acidity to match the sweetness. I thought this was an excellent example. Time to drink.

Petite Sirah Essence 2001, Ridge

This had the nose of very ripe blackberries preserved in spirits; very sweet and fruity. The palate was really quite sweet (claimed 10% residual sugar on the label). Very fruity, bramble fruit. This was a lot more like a fruit liqueur rather than a wine. I think this needs to be finished up within four or five years.

Châteauneuf-du-Papes 1998, Château Vieux-Telegraphe

This stank of arseholes. There is a bit of plummy, Porty fruit, but it is really just filthy. The palate is similarly dirty and unattractive. I was glad I’d only poured a very small tasting sample for myself.

About The Author

I am a terribly charming loony who has finally found that severe PTSD, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and chronic psychosis is, on one of my all too rare good days, only a moderate impediment to having crazy fun with wine and food. Catch me outside and I am liable to be loudly attired.